Your views in 200 words or less

Tag: billie o’brien

Oct.31st

I would like to comment on a letter assessor-treasurer candidate Mike Lonergan recently sent to several people, including some who are currently working in the Pierce County Assessor-Treasurer’s Office. In it Lonergan expresses concern about the fact that Billie O’Brien is being supported by current and former employees of the office and by the Teamsters Union.

He expresses concern that, if elected, O’Brien may show undue favoritism to these support groups. I also feel that he is implying that she would not properly represent the taxpayers who elected her.

Lonergan’s concerns are certainly not valid. I have know O’Brien for …

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Oct.26th

O’Brien has been my manager for about 10 years at the Assessor-Treasurer’s Office. She is highly qualified and experienced. She has been managing the office for several years now on both the appraisal and the administrative sides. She is well respected in the office and works professionally with customers, county officials and other government offices. She has high standards which she practices herself and can count on it from her employees.

O’Brien is a genuine person and public servant. She has demonstrated this consistently by helping long lines of customers. At tax …

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Oct.26th

You wouldn’t elect a sheriff who doesn’t have law enforcement experience. You can’t elect a county prosecutor who isn’t a lawyer. So why would you elect someone to run the largest appraisal shop in the county who has no experience in mass appraisal?

In the race for Pierce County assessor-treasurer there are two choices: Mike Lonergan, who doesn’t have any experience managing a mass appraisal organization, and Billie O’Brien, a seasoned property tax professional.

For 22 years, O’Brien has been an appraiser, segregation technician, supervisor, manager and acting chief deputy. She has successfully led the office while coordinating the valuation …

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Oct.18th

During campaigns, I read many letters recommending that we “vote out the politicians.” Voters have that opportunity in this election. Electing Billie O’Brien as Pierce County assessor/treasurer will accomplish that.

O’Brien is not a politician. She is a dedicated public servant. With 10 years experience on both the assessment side and the treasurer side, she is the most qualified candidate in this race.

Her opponent states at forums that he is running because he had a calling. Did he also have a calling four years ago when he ran for county executive? Or is he just a politician?

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Oct.8th

For Pierce County voters, perhaps one of the least thought about offices is assessor/treasurer. We typically only use their services two or three times each year. We call or visit to discuss or pay property taxes and again to discuss values.

If you have done that, ask yourself if the service received was honest, efficient and polite. If it has, you have Administrative Manager Billie O’Brien and her carefully chosen customer service team to thank for that.

O’Brien is now running for election to the office of assessor-treasurer. There is no one else running who has her experience and enthusiasm. …

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July13th

I agree with the writer that the position of Pierce County assessor-treasurer requires a person with technical professional credentials, not a politician who has term-limited out of another position who is running for the position on the basis of very little other than name recognition.

Consequently, I also agree that it might be desirable to amend the County Charter to allow the Pierce County executive to hire qualified individuals to fill this position.

However, unless and until the charter is changed, voters will continue to have the opportunity and responsibility of …